mccart



Aug. 20, 1940. L, L. McCART Re. 21,534

' CARD SLOTTER Original Filed July 2 4, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Affmey /nren/or 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 n f 5 F F 8 //Wer7/o/' A 00/? A 4/660/7 Affomq/ L. L. M cART Aug. 20, 1940.

CARD SLOTTER Original Filed July 24, 193"! FIGS Reiuued Aug. 20, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARD SLOTTER Original No. 2,144,412, dated January 17, 1939,

Serial No. 155,505, July 24, 1937.

Application for reissue May 31, 1940, Serial No. 338,289

13 Claims.

The object of myinvention is to provide a method of and means for preparing record cards in such a manner that they may be sorted mechanlcally.

In U. S. Letters Patent 1,544,172 to Alfred Perkins, a device for sorting cards is shown which consists in initially punching a line or lines of spaced holes along one or more edges of a card or stiff paper slip on which information of one kind or another is to be entered. These holes are identically spaced in great numbers of such cards and are individually numbered or otherwise identified. In the use of these prepared cards the card is cut away between one or more of these holes and the adjacentedge, according to some predetermined system by which the locations of the holes so opened identifies a name, a

number or some other desired information or classification. When these slotted cards are stacked on edge and in alignment, so that the holes in all. the cards form continuous channels through the stack, a thin rod or so-called needle is thrust through one ofthe holes and lifted laterally. The cards in which that particular hole has not been slotted will thus be lifted out of the stack, while all cards in which the hole has been slotted through to the edge will permit the needle to pass through the slot and thus will remain in the tray or container. By repetition of this operation on successive holes or combinations thereof the cards may be sorted into desired classes with great rapidity. Reference may be made to the aforesaid patent for a more detailed description of this system, which has come into widespread use.

My invention is adapted for use with the sorting system above described, and utilizes the cards described therein, these cards being previously punched with a line of located and identified holes adjacent one or more of the edges. The improvement herein described and claimed consists in providing for the repetition of any given combination of slots (by which certain holes are opened to the edge of the card) without forming these slots individually, as has formerly been the practice. More specifically, the invention lies in providing a gang slotting. tool capable of slotting all the holes in any one side of the card at a single stroke, this tool being so arranged that any desired combination of the individual punches may be rendered operative and the remainder rendered inoperative by the insertion on l the tool of a mask. or key plate.

A device of this class may be put .to various uses of which the following is perhaps the most important example. Sales slips made out by store departments, filling stations and the like may have the copy which goes to the billing oflice punched along one or more edges with holes representing numbers, as described in the Perkins patent. Each customer is assigned an identifying number and is provided with a metal slip punched or slotted to act as the keyplate for that number, as will be described. Each selling department or station is provided with one of the gang punches hereinafter described and which, -in addition to the controllable punches may have additional fixed punches so located as to identify the department or station from which the sales slip issues. When a purchase is made the customer presents his key plate which is inserted in the punch and the sales slip slotted. The key plate thus not only positively identifies the customer, acting as a credit card or charge plate, but also permits all the sales slips prepared with it to be. immediately sorted out of the mass of sales slips which accumulates during any given billing period. The fixed punches, which are the identification of the issuing station, permit the sales of any station or department to be sorted out for calculation. Many other uses will suggest themselves to persons familiar with the Perkins method of sorting.

The described end may be attained by various mechanical contrivances, of which two types will be illustrated. In the first type the punches are so suspended that the insertion of the key plate swings. some of the indiw'dual punches out of register with the actuating means and thus renders them inoperative. This type is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings. In the second type all of the punches are depressed by means of springs and the individual punches which it is desired to render inoperative are withheld against the spring tension by blank areas of the key plate. This type is illustrated in Figs. '7 and ,8 of the drawings.

The following is a brief description of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1' is a vertical partial Lection through an exemplary device of the first type, as on the line l-l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the top device, as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan section of the same device as on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan section of vthe same devices as on the line 44 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan section of the same device as of the same 1 on the line 55 of Fi .1;

6 is a'plan of the keyplate used in the devices of the first and second types;

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section through an exemplary device of the second type, as' on the supports a frame 2i 91' which an anvil 22 is a part. .The anvil is provided on its upper face with .a hardmetal die plate 23, the anvil and dieeplate being slotted along one edge as at 24.

' The extreme edge of the die-plate a slightly upraised as at 25 to torm a stop for the key-plate and the card to be described.

Frame 2| carries pillars 2t-2l which for .as-

sembling may be made detachable as shown but which are permanently fastened in place. In-

- tegral with these pillars is a' spring-plate 21 which is projected downwardly as at 28 and provided with a slot 29 into which the ends oi! springs 30-3! may be forced. Projection 28 is spaced from anvil 22, as indicated at 3|, to permit the insertion at a key-plate and card.

A desired number of slotting punches 3242 (live shown in the drawings but a much larger" number would be required in practice) are each provided with a pivot pin 31' About each end of this pin one arm of spring 30 is wound, the outer end II of one side of the spring being wound around an upward projection 35 from the punch body. This spring arrangement holds the punch suspended above the die but capable'et downward movement by bending of the straight Portion oi the spring, and also tends to tilt its lower end towardthe die. this tilting movement being limited by stops projected from spring plate 21 so as tocausethe punch to remain normally vertical and in shearing relation with the die. .l'hese stops alsoact to prevent lateral movement oi the punches and to holdthem in registo! with slots 24 in the die-plate.

A. yoke ll provided with a light thumb lever II and a supporting spring I! is pivoted at each endasat 40-. This yoke carries a cross-bar Ii hid actuates the punches when the thumb leveris depressed. The lower side ot'this bar may desirably be provided with cone-shaped depressions .i fli arranged to receive the upper endslot projections ti and thus holdthe punches in alignment'durlng the slotting strobe.

The key-plate 48 shown in Fig.6 is provided withopeningsadaptedtoregisterwithoneor more of the die slots 24 but preferably of somewhat greater size. Each of these key-plates has a diflerent combination openings arranged according to some predetermined system of identification. It will be understood that the dies and key-plates have their spaced space}! and brought against stops 2|. plate, which is inserted the card. should'cpga'ge the keel oi the punch' in stops.

punches out oi the/vertical position and position indicated not engage thecmssp fi d. and thm'all the are forced through the card bythe relatively stroke. andresilient means cooperating key-plate adapted ior in said. dcyice to u.

key-plate are rendered inoperative and the card is slotted only at the locations or the specific keyplate openings.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, the frame 2i is bored from opposite ends to form a guide for punches 32 and a series of tubes 10. These tubes are iormed with or attached to a head piece H which, itdesired, may be operated by a lever as in the preceding structure. An internal shoulder I2 is left between the ends or the bores to engage the lower end oi a light spring 13, the tension on this spring being merely such as to return the punch to its elevated position after the card is slotted. The upper end of this spring engages a collar ll on the punchstem 15, which for assembling may be screwed into the punch proper as shown. The upper face of collar ll engages the lower end of a much stiiIer spring 76, the upper end of this spring bearing on the end of tube 10.

When a key-plate 43 similar to'that shown in Fig. 6 is inserted, with a card beneath it, against stops 25, and the headpiece ll pressed down. the punches which are in register with openings stiil springs 15, while those punches which encounter blank areas of the plate are held up by it, the upper springs collapsing to permit tubes II to move downwardly while the punches remain stationary. In this form the punches wrucn are rendered inoperative by the key-plate are locked up instead 01' being tilted out of position as in the first type. It will be evident that springs must be still enough to force the punches through, the card and the key-plate must be strong enough to supbport the spring pressure without being dented y the punches.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device for slotting cards; a plurality oi'slotting punches arranged in a substantially straight'line, said punches being independently and tiltably supported by resilient members; a

die-plate adapted to register with said punches when said punches are in a retracted position; resilient means for normally maintaining said punches in register with said die-plate; a lgey plate having openings in its edge and adapted when inserted in said device to tilt at least one of said punches out of said retracted position,

andlever means engaging and operating through the slotting stroke only such oi said punches as remain in retracted position after the insertion of said key-plate.

2. In a device for slotting cards; aplurality of slotting punches arranged in a substantially straight line; a die-plate cooperating with said punches; a common means f0! V actuating all oi said punchesthrough the slotting stroke: an independent resilient element interbetween each of said punches and said actuating means. and a key-plate arranged to be interposed between said "punches and said card and having at least one opening therein. through which a punch may operate, the blank areas oi said key-plate'rendering other oi said punches inoperative by engaging last said punches and thereby collapsing the corresponding interposed resilient members.

3. In a device for slotting cards; a plurality oi slotting machines arranged in a substantially straight line; a die-plate cooperating with said punches; means capable of simultaneomly actuatinguall or said pimches through the slotting with a erative through the slotting stroke.

4. In a device forslotting cards; a plurality of slotting punches arranged in a substantially and to leave the remainder of said punches opstraight line, each of said punches being, norsaid die-plate and openings arranged to permit normal operation of the remainder of said punches.

or edge notching. punches arranged in a substantially straight line, a die plate cooperating there with, means capable of actuating all of said punches through the edge notching stroke, re-

silient means cooperating" with a removable notched key element adapted to be interposed between the card to be edge notched and said punches whereby said card will be edge notched with a pattern similar to that on the key element.

8. In a device for notching cards,-a plurality of edge notching punches arranged in a substantially straight line, a die plate cooperating therewith, means capable of actuating all of said punches through the edge notching stroke, a removable notched key element adapted to be interposed between the card to be edge notched and said punches whereby said card will be edge notched with a pattern similar to that on the key element, and resilient means cooperating therewith.

7. In a device for notching cards, a plurality of notching punches, a die plate cooperating therewith, means capable of simultaneously actuating all of said punches through the notching stroke, a removable key element the edge of which is notched adapted to be interposed, between the card tov be notched and said punches whereby said card will be notched with a pattern similar to that on the key element, and resilient means cooperating therewith,

8. In a device for notching the edge of a cardwith punches, a key plate having an edge containing a pattern of edge notches conforming to a predetermined classification, said edge notches arranged to permit certain punches to pass through them and reproduce the pattern on the edge of the card, said key plate having an unnotched portion for preventing certain other punches from acting upon the card. I

9. In a device for notching the edge of a card with punches, a key plate of harder material than the card to be notched adapted to be inserted b twe n t Pu es, and a card to be notched, a

a1,ss4 render at least one of said punches inoperative through which a punch may pass, the unnotched portion of the edge of said plate being adapted to bear upon the other punches and render them inoperative.

10. In a device 'for slotting, cards; a plurality of slotting punches arranged in a substantially straight line; 'a' die-plate. cooperating with saidv punches; means capable of simultaneously actuating all of said punches through the slotting stroke and resilient means cooperating with punch selecting means adapted for cooperation with said device to render at least one of said punches inoperative and to leave the remainder of said punches operative through the slotting stroke, and means for aligning an edge of a card to be slotted in the path of said punches for the purpose of forming notches in the card which 5. In a device for notching cards, a plurality slotting punches arranged in a substantially straight line; each of said punches being ormally operative but capable of being red red individually inoperative; a die plate, cooperating with said punches; means capable of simultaneously actuating all of said punches through the slotting stroke, punch selecting means adapted for cooperation with said device having certain portions arranged to render at least one of said punches inoperative and other portions arranged to permit normal operation of the remainder of said punches, and means for aligning anedge of a card to be slotted in the path oi! said punches for the purpose of forming notches in the card which open to the edge thereof. 12. In combination with a device for slottin cards having a plurality ofslotting punches arranged in a substantially straight line, a dieplate cooperating with said punches, means capable of simultaneously actuating all of said punches through a. slotting stroke; a key-plate insertable between'said punches. and a card to be slotted, said key-plate having a notched edge defining a pattern to be imparted to an edge of slotting punches arranged in a substantially straight line; a die-plate cooperating with said punches; means capable of simultaneously actusaid card, said key-plate having a sumciently higher resistance to shear than said card to reating all 01 said punches through a slotting stroke, a punch selecting element relatively movable with respect to said punches adapted for operating intermediate said means and a card to be slotter, to select certain of said punches for a subsequent slotting operation, and means ior aligning an edge of, a card to be slotted in the path of said punches for the purpose 01 forming notches in the card which opento the edge there- Looms 1.. means. 

